news - Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences

campusnewsWith New Scholarship, Recent Graduate Pays it ForwardGift Marks the First Time a Current KCUMB Student has Established a Scholarship to Benefit Other StudentsCarey Vincent, D.O.(COM ’12), first set eyes onthe KCUMB campus duringa snowstorm. Taking inthe whitened buildings andgrounds, he thought, “Thisis just like Hogwarts.”As Dr. Vincent workedhis way through medicalschool, he of course discoveredsignificant differencesbetween KCUMB and HarryPotter’s fictional academyfor wizards. He decided,however, the two schools doshare one thing: There’s acertain magic about them.Before leaving KCUMBto embark on his career,Dr. Vincent left something behind inappreciation of that magic – a gift thatcould itself work some miracles. He establisheda $25,000 Physicians’ Hall ofSponsors scholarship to benefit marriedstudents with dependent children.It is the first scholarship established bya KCUMB osteopathic medical studentbefore graduation.A Gift Born of ExperienceDuring the College of OsteopathicMedicine’s commencementceremonies on May 19, Dr. Vincent wascommissioned into the U.S. Navy asa lieutenant. He is currently stationedat Naval Medical Center Portsmouthin Portsmouth, Va., where he is inthe midst of his residency in internalmedicine. A military scholarship madeit possible for him to become a doctor.Now, he is fulfilling his commitment tothe military with four years of activedutyservice.Dr. Vincent is familiar with thechallenges facing married studentswith young children. He joined the U.S.Navy after high school, served fouryears, then started college on the G.I.Bill. That money got him through hisfirst two years. He and his wife, Jamie,had to pay for another three yearsthemselves.In the meantime, the couple’sson, Jaxon, was born. Two years later,another son, Renner, came along.Both Jaxon and Renner were eventuallydiagnosed with atypical autism. Ayear later, a daughter, Braiya, arrived.Because the cost of a trained sitter tocare for Jaxon and Renner would beabout the same as Jamie’s salary ifshe worked outside the home, Jamiebecame a full-time mom.Dr. Vincent understood all too wellthat, without his military scholarship,he could not have stayed in medicalschool. It covered his tuition andbooks and provided a modest monthlystipend.“The financial difficulties of havingkids while going to medical schoolare pretty great,” Dr. Vincent said. “So,I was thinking how nice it would be tohelp other students who are marriedwith kids have one more option.”More Focus, Better DoctorsFor Dr. Vincent, the premise behindhis gift is straightforward.“You shouldn’t have to sacrifice aneducation to clothe a child,” he said.Dr. Vincent accepts congratulationson earning his doctor of osteopathicmedicine May 19 during commencementceremonies.“If you’re worried abouthow you’re going to livetomorrow, you’re not payingattention to how to succeedtoday.”Just as Dr. Vincentpoints to the excellence ofthe physicians who come outof KCUMB, he praises thequality of KCUMB’s osteopathicmedical graduates ashuman beings. Both factorscontribute to the University’smagic. He attributes this bonus to theschool’s approach to medicine and thefaculty who teach it.“All the faculty are good,” he said,“but some are just amazing.”A Gift Given Out of GratitudeThe amazing ones, Dr. Vincentsaid, are people like Maria Cole, Ph.D.,associate professor of anatomy; DianeKarius, Ph.D., associate professorof physiology; and Robert Stephens,Ph.D., professor and chair of anatomy,and associate dean for the Collegeof Biosciences. As a student, he wasstruck by not only their skill as teachers,but also their love of learning.He has traded his collection ofKCUMB apparel for a different uniform,one he will gratefully don mostdays for at least the next four years.During that time and well beyond,KCUMB osteopathic medical studentswill be thankful that they can focus ontheir studies and worry less about affordingnecessities.It is almost as if a wizard now livingmore than 1,000 miles away fromthe school where he learned his crafthad waved a wand and made someenduring magic happen.University Honors an Alum as its Faculty of the YearDr. Magie, right, accepts congratulationsand a gift from Dr. Haug after being namedKCUMB's 2012 Faculty of the Year recipient.The Dean’s Council for KansasCity University of Medicine and Biosciencesrecently recognized a 1980graduate of the College of OsteopathicMedicine as its 2012 Faculty of the YearAward recipient.Richard Magie, D.O. (COM ’80),assistant professor and chair of pediatrics,received the honor June 8 during afaculty appreciation event on campus.In addition to his teaching responsibilities,Dr. Magie also serves as medicaldirector for KCUMB Physician Associatesand medical director for Score 1for Health, a KCUMB program thatprovides free health screenings to morethan 13,000 children each year in theKansas City area.Dr. Magie regularly participatesin KCUMB’s annual medical missionsto Guatemala with DOCARE International,providing much-needed careto people living in remote and underservedcommunities. He also served aspresident of KCUMB’s Faculty Senateduring the 2011-2012 academic year.“Dr. Magie is not only outstandingin his field, but he embodies eachof our core values,” said Darin Haug,D.O. (COM ’01), executive vice presidentfor academic and medical affairs,and dean of the College of OsteopathicMedicine. “His extraordinary contributionto KCUMB and our mission goesfar beyond expectations, even at theexpense of personal sacrifice.”The processional makes its way across campus toward Weaver Auditorium May 19 duringthe 126 th Commencement of KCUMB's College of Osteopathic Medicine. During the ceremony,256 students were awarded doctor of osteopathic medicine degrees and 11 dual-degreestudents also received master of arts degrees in bioethics. In addition, Rockhurst Universityawarded master of business administration degrees to 27 KCUMB students through theD.O./MBA dual-degree program.International AwardRecognizes KCUMB’sCommunity Service EffortsCommunitas Awards recentlyhonored KCUMB for its excellence incommunity service and corporate socialresponsibility.KCUMB receivedits CommunitasAward in thecompany-sponsoredvolunteerproject category,in recognition ofthe University’s14 th -annual CommunityServiceDay. Students,faculty and staffcompleted morethan 1,000 hours of service in a singlehalf-day effort to benefit variousindividuals and organizations in needthroughout the Kansas City metropolitanarea.Communitas Awards is an internationaleffort to recognize exceptionalbusinesses, organizations and individualsfor their spirit of communitas– helping people.“KCUMB clearly exhibits thespirit of communitas, a Latin word thatmeans people coming together for thegood of the community,” according toa statement on behalf of the CommunitasAwards judges.KCUMB’s annual CommunityService Day takes place during orientationweek for incoming first-yearosteopathic medical students. Theevent serves as an introduction to boththe community and to the University’semphasis on serving others.“Medical school is only the beginningof their commitment to a careerof service,” said Sara Selkirk, executivedirector of community and studentaffairs at KCUMB. “We believe it isimportant to place emphasis on theaspect of caring for people and communityeven before students attendtheir first class.”20 Summer 2012 KCUMB CommunicatorSummer 2012 KCUMB Communicator 21